Vertically mounted louver apparatus



g- 1961 L. cs. BROWN 2,996,768

VERTICALLY MOUNTED LOUVER APPARATUS Filed NOV. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 LEMUAL G. BROWN INV ENT OR.

ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1961 cs. BROWN VERTICALLY MOUNTED LOUVER APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27 1959 mm) Al T FIG. 2

LEMUAL 6. BROWN INVENTOR.

FIG. 5

FIG. 4

ATTORNEY 2,996,768 VERTICALLY MOUNTED LOUVER APPARATUS Lemual G. Brown, P.0. Box 8777, Britten, Okla. Filed Nov. 27, 1959, Sell. No. 855,570 3 (Ilaims. (Cl. 20-62) The present invention relates to a louvered apparatus for opening and closing building openings and more particularly to a means for vertically mounting louvers therein.

It is common practice at present to provide some means of light control for relatively large glass closed building openings; this is usually accomplished by providing a louver type apparatus wherein the louvers may be pivoted between an opened or partially opened and fully closed position wherein the louvers are disposed in overlapping relation when closed. A preferred form of such louvered apparatus comprises mounting the louvers vertically. When the building opening is of substantial heighth and the louvers extend the full expanse of the openings, some means must be devised for maintaining a free pivoting action of the individual louvers about a vertical axis wherein the louvers may all be simultaneously pivoted in an opening or closing movement.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention to provide a novel louvered apparatus and means for rotatably supporting each of the louvers in a vertical position.

Another object is to provide an elongated louver which includes flanged edges extending in opposing directions for co-operative overlapping relation with the adjacent flanged edge of the next adjacent louver.

Another object is to provide spaced-apart vertically aligned anti-friction bearing means wherein the lower bearings which pivotally support the respective louvers is formed to provide a single point of contact between its component parts.

A further object is to provide a mounting means for vertically disposed louvers which will permit a limited amount of vertical or lateral movement of the louvers without unseating the mounting bearings.

Another important object is to provide a lower bearing mounting for vertical louvers wherein the bearing is so arranged that dirt or other impurities will not be retained therein and which requires no oiling or maintenance after its installation.

A further object is to provide a device of this class which is relatively simple in construction and operation and which can be used on any size building openings.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by providing horizontal upper and lower channel members for connection with the lintel and sill of a building opening. A plurality of louvers extend vertically between the upper and lower cross members. Bearings carried by the opposing ends of the louvers and connected with the channel members support the louvers for rotation about a vertical axis. A control bar pivotally connected with one lateral edge of the depending end of each respective louver simultaneously pivots the louvers for opening and closing the building opening.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying two sheets of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a building illustrating the apparatus installed in an opening therein;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating the manner of mounting one of the louvers;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional View, partly in ice elevation, through the lower bearing support showing the bearing in partially unseated position; and,

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the bearing in normal operative position.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates, as a whole, a building having an opening therein defined by a lintel 12, a sill 14 and opposing jambs l6 and 18. The building opening is usually closed by glass or the like, not shown. An upper channel member 20 extends horizontally between the jambs 16 and 18 and is connected to the depending surface of the lintel 12. The upper channel member comprises a U-shaped channel 22 which is connected to the lintel 12 by bolts 24 extending through its bight portion in spaced-apart relation. A second similar channel member 26 envelops the legs of the channel 2 2 between its upstanding legs 28 and is rigidly connected thereto by bolts 30 extending horizontally through the legs of the two channel members 22 and 26. The channel member 26 is provided with a plurality of apertures 32 through its bight portion for receiving a cylindrical bearing member 34 having an annular flange 36 at its lower end which seats against the depending surfaces of the channel member 26 around the apertures.

A lower channel member 40 extends horizontflly between the jambs 16 and 18. The lower channel member includes a U-shaped channel 42 having a bight portion 44 flatly contacting the upper surface of the sill 14 and connected thereto by bolts 46. The bight of the channel 42 is disposed in angular relation with respect to its legs 48 which extend vertically upwardly in parallel relation. The angle of the bight portion 44, with respect to the legs 48, is determined by the slope of the upper surface of the sill 14. Similarly, another channel member Sti, having depending legs 52, envelops the upstanding legs 48 of the channel 42. The legs 48 and 52 of the two channel members 4-2 and 50 are similarly interconnected by horizontal bolts 54 extended therethrough in spaced-apart relation. The bight portion of the channel 50 is similarly provided with a plurality of apertures 56 which are vertically aligned with the apertures 32 in the upper channel member 20. The horizontal spacing between the apertures 32 and 56 is slightly less than the transverse width of an elongated louver 60 for the reasons which will presently be apparent.

A plurality of the louvers 60 extend vertically between the channel members 26 and 44 in side by side relation. The length of the louvers 66 is slightly less than the spacing bet-ween the channel members 20 and 40 for the reasons which will presently be apparent. Each of the louvers are substantially Z-shaped in horizontal cross section (FIG. 3) and the free lateral edge of the leg portion 62 of the Z-shaped louver is turned at right angle with respect to the leg portion 62 to form a flange or projection 64. Similarly the opposite leg portion 66 of the Z-shaped louver is turned at right angle with respect to the leg portion 66 to form a similar flange as at 68, in a direction opposite to the position of the flanged edge 64 and parallel therewith for the purposes of adding rigidity to the louvers 60 and whereby the respective flanged edges 64 and 68 of each louver cooperatively overlap the respective flanged edges of the next adjacent louver. In other words when the louvers are in closed position, as shown by solid lines in FIG. 3, the flanged edge 64 overlaps the fianged edge 68 of the adjacent louver.

The louvers 60 each have opposing flanged end portions 70 and 72 by which a cylindrical shaft 74, axially connected by nuts 75 with the respective louver through the flanged edge 70, projects upwardly thereabove and is co-operatingly received by the respective cylindrical bearing 34. A lower bearing 76 is connected with the depending flanged edge 72 of each respective louver in vertical alignment with respect to the shaft 74. The bearing 76 includes a mandrel 78 which is secured to the lower channel member 40 within each respective aperture 56 by nuts 57. The mandrel 78 is formed with an upper conical-shaped fine pointed end 80. The bearing 76 further includes a cylindrical portion 82 depending from the flanged edge 72 which has a downwardly open cylindrical central bore or socket 84 slightly greater diametrically than the diameter of the mandrel 78. The cylindrical socket 84 terminates upwardly to form a conical-shaped socket 86 whose apex angle is greater than the apex angle of the mandrel conical-shaped end 80 for loosely receiving the latter. The apex of the mandrel conical end 80 contacts the apex of the conical recess as at 88 (FIG. and forms a single point of bearing contact for supporting the respective louver 60. Lateral movement of the louvers 60 may separate the contact between the apexes of the respective conical surfaces but such lateral bearing unseating movement is limited by contact between the wall of the bearing forming the cylindrical recess 84 and the outer surface of the mandrel 78, as shown by FIG. 4. Such lateral or vertical movement of the louvers is further limited by a sleeve or spacer 9t) interposed between the cylindrical bearing 34 and the adjacent surface of the upper end of the louver around the bearing shaft 74.

The louvers are simultaneously positioned between a fully closed position as shown by solid lines (FIG. 3) to a fully opening or light admitting position, indicated by the dotted lines (FIG. 3), wherein the light is coming from the direction shown by the arrow 92 by a control bar 94 extending horizontally between the louvers and pivotally connected as by bolts or rivets 96 to the depending flanged edge 72.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A louver apparatus for a building having an opening defined by a lintel, a sill and opposing jambs, comprising: upper and lower channel members extending horizontally between said jambs and secured to said lintel and said sill, respectively, said upper channel member having a series of spaced-apart apertures extending vertically through its lowermost surface; a sleeve bearing secured within each aperture in said upper channel member; a series of louvers extending vertically between said upper and lower channel members, said louvers each being substantially Z-shaped in horizontal cross section and having its opposing edges flanged outwardly in opposite directions for co-operative overlapping relation with respect ot the adjacent flanged edge of the adjacent louver; a shaft centrally connected to the uppermost end of each said louver and journaled by the respective said sleeve bearing; upstanding mandrels connected with said lower channel member in vertical alignment with the respective sleeve bearing and said upper channel member, said mandrels each having a free conical fine pointed end portion; a depending bearing centrally connected to the depending end of each said louver, said depending bearings each having a cylindrical socket in its lowermost surface, of greater diameter than the diameter of said mandrels, and terminating upwardly to form a conical recess whose apex angle is larger than the apex angle of said conical fine pointed end portion, the combined depth of the cylindrical socket and the conical recess being greater than the height of said conical fine pointed end portion for receiving the respective free end portion of said mandrels and supporting each said louver for rotation about a vertical axis; and a louver position control means extending between and pivotally connected with a lateral edge portion of each said louver.

2. A louver apparatus for a frame within a building opening, including: an elongated first channel member horizontally secured to the lower surface of the upper limit of said frame, said channel member having parallel depending leg portions; a second channel member enveloping the depending legs of said first channel member, said second channel member having a series of spacedapart apertures in its lowermost surface; a third elongated channel member secured horizontally to the upper surface of the lower limit of said frame, said third channel member having upstanding parallel leg portions vertically aligned with the respective legs of said first channel member; a fourth channel member having depending legs enveloping the upstanding legs of said third channel member, said fourth channel member having a series of apertures through its upper surface vertically aligned with the apertures in said second channel member; a plurality of elongated louvers extending between said upper and lower channel members, the length of said louvers being less than the spacing between the respective said upper and lower channel members; an upstanding mandrel secured to said fourth channel member through each aperture therein, said mandrels each having a free cone shaped fine pointed end; a bearing secured to the depending end of each respective said louver, said bearing having a vertically disposed cylindrical recess in its lower surface of greater diameter than the diameter of said mandrels and terminating upwardly to define a cone shaped recess whose apex angle is larger than the apex angle of said cone shaped fine pointed end, the combined depth of the cylindrical socket and the conical recess being greater than the height of said cone shaped fine pointed end; and an upstanding shaft secured to the upper end of each respective said louver in vertical alignment with said bearing and being closely received by the respective aperture in said second channel member.

3. A louver apparatus for a frame within a building opening, including: an elongated first channel member horizontally secured to the lower surface of the upper limit of said frame, said channel member having parallel depending leg portions; a second channel member enveloping the depending legs of said first channel member, said second channel member having a series of spacedapart apertures in its lowermost surface; a third elongated channel member secured horizontally to the upper surface of the lower limit of said frame, said third channel member having upstanding parallel leg portions vertically aligned with the respective legs of said first channel member; a fourth channel member having depending legs enveloping the upstanding legs of said third channel member, said fourth channel member having a series of apertures through its upper surface vertically aligned with the apertures in said channel member; a plurality of elongated louvers extending between said upper and lower channel members, the length of said louvers being less than the spacing between the respective said upper and lower channel members, said louvers each having its vertical edges flanged outwardly in opposite directions for overlapping the respective flanged edges of the next adjacent louver when the louvers are in closed position; an upstanding mandrel secured to said fourth channel member through each aperture therein, said mandrels each having a free cone shaped fine pointed end; a bearing secured to the depending end of each respective said louver, said bearing having a vertically disposed cylindrical recess in its lower surface of greater diameter than the diameter of said mandrels and terminating upwardly to define a cone shaped recess whose apex angle is larger than the apex angle of said cone shaped fine pointed end, the combined depth of the cylindrical socket and the conical recess being greater than the height of said cone shaped fine pointed end; an upstanding shaft secured to taneously rotating said louvers about their vertical axes 5 2,

between fully opened and closed position.

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,739,674 Casebolt Mar. 27, 1956 Miller Apr. 15, 1958 2,894,439 Burger et a1 July 14, 1959 

